Wood Availability

Abstract

Estimation of the amount of wood that could potentially be harvested in a country can be accomplished using several approaches. A simple indicator is the balance between annual fellings and Net Annual Increment. However, this indicator does not take into account the actual age-class distribution of the forest and possible harvesting constraints. More elaborate systems can estimate Annual Allowable Cut or long-term maximum supply based on the actual age-class distribution, management guidelines and existing policies. For most approaches, the maximum theoretical (physical) potential is reduced to a “realistic” potential by applying technical, ecological and economic constraints. These inventory-based estimates of potentials can then be translated to quantities available to consumers on the market, taking into account differences in measurement methods between NFIs and wood market analysts, losses during felling, forwarding and transport, and correcting for unregistered fellings.